Generally speaking, this invention relates to all types of footwear constructions, and in particular, to shoes of the slip-on or blucher moccasin type. In such constructions, the vamp of the footwear construction, that portion enclosing the toe and instep regions of the wearer's foot, are generally formed in two parts, namely a vamp portion or mudguard extending upwardly from the periphery of the sole in the forward region thereof, so as to surround the instep and toe regions of the wearer's foot and a plug or insert secured to the upper periphery of the vamp portion and bridging same so as to enclose the instep and toe regions of the wearer's foot. As taught in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 2,444,640, issued on July 6, 1948 for BLUCHER TYPE SHOE WITH REMOVABLE PLUG, the plug and vamp portions may be removably secured together, thereby permitting the substitution of the plug so as to produce various decorative effects.
As taught in my pending application Ser. No. 554,277, filed Feb. 28, 1975, which is incorporated herein as if fully set forth, further refinements of footwear constructions including removable plugs are taught, including the provision of a single removable plug and a plurality of plug covers releasably secured to the plug by a releasable securing means such as a hook and loop tape fastener. The provision of replaceable plug covers permits the ornamental appearance of the shoe to be varied by the substitution of interchangeable plug covers. Such plug covers are equally applicable to a footwear construction not provided with a removable plug, in which case the plug region is fixably secured to the vamp but is provided with securing means on its upper surface for cooperation with corresponding securing means on the lower surface of the plug cover.
A further source of ornamental design of footwear constructions is the provision of various ornamental members in the instep region of a footwear construction such as simulated buckles, laces, tassels and other ornaments. In my prior application Ser. No. 554,277, provision of such ornamentation fixedly secured to plug covers is taught. However, it has been found that this does not provide the maximum flexibility in available ornamentation, a deficiency cured by providing a single footwear construction having interchangeable ornamental elements which will permit the wearer to create a plurality of ornamental combinations in a single footwear construction.